Posts filed under 'Feeding a Crowd'
Allow me to introduce you to the little black dress of my pantry: Simply Organic French Onion Dip. My neighbor, Eliza, turned me onto to it several years ago when she served it at a party. I seriously could not stop eating it – like get your face out of the dip bowl Mayone.
This dip is terrific with crudite, especially Persian cuke slices, and particularly sinful with Trader Joe's Ridge Cut Potato Chips. As I type this I really want to go to the downstair's fridge and indulge but I will wait until the pre-game show. I think I can, I think I can…
And while Barr is the Queen of Schmootz, I tend to be less industrious when it comes to dipping, I have a few homemde favorites in my recipe file like Rosemary, Sage and White Bean Spread but I often defer dips to other guests who so gratiously offer.
Made one day ahead with 2 cups of sour cream, this dip is a party staple. It is also organic, certified gluten-free and vegetarian. Last night as I was prepping dips, I thought this dip base would probably make a superb slow cooker pot roast and veggies. I promise to report back. If you cannot find the packets at your grocery, it is available fro sale online.
Happy Super Bowl to you flavoristas, may your gameday buffets be overflowing.
Go Patriots!
February 5th, 2012
Happy New Year Flavoristas! Barr and I hope that you enjoyed delicous and fabulous holidays.
After an unseasonably warm winter so far, the cold temperatures have finally settled in, now we would like some snow please. (Seriously, my snowboarding and skiiing children need some snow!) Cold temperatures call for hot, hearty stews.
Lollie was gracious enough to jokingly pose for this kale coming out of your ears pose. Believe it or not, my neighbors still have garden kale available. I am competing with a flock of seven wild trukey who like to nibble on my neighbor's kale but I was able to get enough to make this satisifying stew.
And when you add kale to potatoes and sausage, finicky, non-kale eaters (aka Marco) don't notice.
Sausage, Potato and Kale Stew
Serves 6
Did you know that kale is even more delicious after the first frost? The cooler temperatures of fall tenderize the kale leaves so it’s time to move from kale salad to kale stew. This hearty stew is a meal by itself but feel free to gild the lily with a loaf of crusty bread and nice bottle of red wine.
2 Tbsp. butter
12 oz. white mushrooms, quartered
1 lb. sweet or hot sausage, meat pushed out of the links or cut into thin slices
1 onion, finely chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp celery seed
1/2 tsp. sweet or smoked paprika
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
1 bay leaf
1 (15.5 oz) can cannellini beans, not drained
4 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces
4 cups chicken broth
4 cups finely chopped kale
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
Add the butter to a heavy pot over medium heat. When melted, add the mushrooms. Cook and stir until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Transfer mushrooms to a bowl. Set aside.
Add sausage to the pot; cook and stir until sausage is almost cooked through. Add the onion, carrot, garlic, salt, celery seed, paprika and black pepper. Cook and stir until onion is fragrant and meat is completely cooked through, about 5 minutes.
Add the bay leaf, beans, potatoes and broth to the pot along with the cooked mushrooms. Bring to a simmer and stir in the kale. Cover and cook until potatoes, carrots and kale are tender, about 20 minutes.
If desired, garnish each bowl with a generous Tbsp. of Parmesan. If there are any leftovers, this stew freezes and reheats nicely.
Cook’s Note: While I love mushrooms, I understand that not everyone shares my affection. If you prefer, omit the mushrooms and simply begin the recipe with step 2.
January 3rd, 2012
My in-laws finally sold the house they grew up in. My mother in-law lived there for 50 years and threw many a cocktail party, Easter egg hunt, Christmas breakfasts, countless dinners – replete with cod fish balls and other specialties.
We paid homage to the unique property (that used to be surrounded by wheat fields but is now McMansion land) with a lunch and egg hunt under the enormous cottonwood trees my father in-law planted back in the 60's.
The main entree was a wonderful Morroccan-inspired cold grilled chicken dish with roasted red peppers and caramelized onions. We served it alongside Kimberly's carrot salad, a green bean salad with walnuts and a fresh garden salad. Kimberly's corn salad would also be delcious with this dish. Perfect for an Indian summer al fresco feast.
Morrocan Chicken with Roasted Red Pepper and Caramlized Onions
Serve 15 to 20 depending on how many side dishes you have.
5 Lbs. onions, sliced thinly and caramelized
3 large red bell peppers, roasted on a grill, peeled and sliced
Marinade for the chicken:
12 lbs Chicken thighs, boneless and skinless
Zest and Juice from 2 oranges and 2 lemons
1/4 cup prepared Harissa (or to your taste)
2 Tbsp. granulated garlic
2 Tbsp. freshly ground coriander seeds
1 Tbsp. freshly toasted and ground cumin seeds
salt and pepper
1/2 cup honey or agave
Place all ingredients together in a zip lock bag and add the chicken. Close the bag and massage the marinade into the chicken. Refrigerate over night. 1 hour before you grill the chicken, remove the bag from the refrigerator and place the contents onto a large platter. Cover lightly and allow to come to room temperature. Grilling, roasting or searing any meat a room temperature is always best.
Light or heat your grill. Once it's piping hot, either spread out the coals or lower the heat to medium. Grill the chicken until done then place onto another clean platter. I grilled my peppers while I did the chicken. Make sure save all the juices which will be on the bottom of the platter once the chicken is cool enough to handle.
For the Garnish:
2 preserved lemons, diced (They sell these now in the olive bar at Whole Foods and they are really good.)
freshly chopped cilantro
Salt and pepper
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To Serve: Place the onions on the bottom of a large platter. Once the chicken is cool, slice thinly on the diagonal and arrange right on top of the onions. Now slice the roasted and peeled bell peppers into long slivers and ring it around the chicken. Sprinkle the garnish on top. Just before serving, pour the reserved chicken juices over the top. If you like you can toss all of this together but I prefer the presentation of the layers of food.
September 24th, 2011
No, I have not lost mind mind (or the salad recipes), I just thought I would offer a glimpse inside my kitchen.
I have spent the week working on test shots of the recipes that might be the best for the cover of Everyday Gluten-Free Slow Cooking (to be published this November by Sterling). It is so exciting to me that the book will be arriving as we round the corner into the holiday season. The recipe above is for Chicken Sausage and Vegetable Stew.
Let's move onto today's post…
Last winter, I worked on an article for Hannaford's fresh magazine. The idea came from a back to school layered sesame noodle salad that I developed for flavorista last fall. As much as I love to cook, I love to cook efficiently even more. These make and take salads are ideal because they are a snap to prepare, look beautiful and are completely satisfying
Roasted Vegetable, chickpea and baby spinach salad with honey lemon vinaigrette. The team at Easter Seals taste tested this salad for me and were quite thrilled when the March/April Issue finally came out. The marcona almonds in this salad add the most delicious crunch and substance to the salad
Thai shrimp salad with rice noodles, napa cabbage and a sweet and sour sesame dressing. Delish! When flavorista Julie and I get together, this is our fave.
Turkey, green apple and beet salad with toasted walnuts, goat cheese and raspberry vinaigrette. This salad was inspired by my Mom whole loves all of the listed ingredients. Rumor has it that she did not even share any with my dad. As an aside, my arty mom has an etsy store and a blog. If you have a free moment you should check out her photography and jewelry.
Crispy romaine with summer tomatoes, creamy potatoes, savory roast beef all pulled together with blue cheese vinaigrette. Classic with a capital C, this salad is the summer version of meat and potatoes.
So break out that beautiful bowl and layer in some of your favorite ingredients. Hours later, your meal will be ready to eat without turning on the stove, a perfect plan for the last few weeks of August. Enjoy!
August 11th, 2011
If you're entertaining and need something green to snack upon, here are some lovely and simple spreads to put out with carrots or crackers of your choice. Radishes offer a gorgeous color contrast to these verdant springtime dips.
Homemade dips and spread are great make-ahead appetizers. Any leftovers are perfect for vegetarian sandwiches. I love how these dips have variations of green color.
Our friend Becky of The Organic Dish in Boulder shared her green pea hummus with us a while back. Kimberly has made Becky's recipe with 1/2 green peas and 1/2 edamame and happily reports that it was super yummy. I have also made it with fresh mint and no tahini with equally refreshing, delicious results.
This lima bean skordalia was inspired by one I bought at Market Hall in the Rockridge neighborhood of Oakland, CA. Like the green pea hummus, it's easy to make and yummy. Fava bean puree takes a bit more time as you need to shell the fava beans.
Lima Bean "Skordalia" with Feta
1 bag frozen lima beans
Juice from 1 lemon (about 2 Tbsp., more to taste)
4 cloves of garlic
1 tsp freshly chopped oregano
4 to 6 Tlbs. best quality EVVO
Salt and pepper to taste
6 ounces Feta cheese (I recommend a French Sheep's Feta), crumbled
Cover the lima beans,and 4 cloves of garlic with water and bring to a boil for 5 minutes. Turn off heat and let limas cool in the water.
Strain off the water, reserving at least 1/2 a cup for adding to the puree later. Place the beans in the bowl of a food processor.
Add the garlic, oregano, lemon juice and the EVVO. Process until smooth, adding some of the hot water to make the puree smooth. Remove to your serving dish and stir in the crumbled feta. Season with salt and pepper.
Fava Beans Puree
This recipe is adapted from the Chez Panisse Vegetables cookbook. This puree has always been a harbinger of summer for me. Fava beans are very earthy, do not try and make this with the canned variety. You will be disappointed.
2 lbs. fresh fava beans, parboiled, cooled in iced water and shelled
Splash of dry white wine
1 small leek, white part sliced very thinly
1/4 cup EVVO (preferably a different one from the lima bean skordalia, something fruity like Puget from France.
2 cloves garlic
1/4 of a bay leaf
1 sprig of fresh thyme
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1/4 tsp. finely grated lemon zest
salt and pepper to taste
Heat the olive oil in a large pan under medium to low heat, add the leek and cook until soft. Add the minced garlic and fresh thyme and bay leaf. Now add the shelled fava beans and splash of white wine.
Once you can smash the favas with the back of a spoon easily, remove from heat. You can now either smash the mixture with the implement of your choice or remove the bay leaf and place the beans in the bowl of a food processor and puree until smooth. Adjust seasoning and serve.
June 11th, 2011
The inspiration for this recipe came from the wonderful blog The Nourished Kitchen. I changed the recipe considerably and the end result is a delicious oatmeal-like cake.
Make it once and have a slice every morning for a few days or serve it to a crowd at brunch. With some warm maple syrup and a dash of whipped cream it is really delicious! Perfect for winter weekend mornings.
You can use any dried fruit and nut combination. A few suggestions are apricots and pistachios, dried plums, apples and pecans, raisins or currants or cranberries and walnuts. Regardless of the combination you choose, it is delicious.
Baked Oatmeal (inspired by the Nourished Kitchen)
This recipe is easily doubled but this serves 6 for breakfast.
1/2 lb. rolled oats (she uses steel cut but I loved using rolled)
2 Tbsp. buttermilk or yogurt
1/2 cup whole chia seeds (optional)
1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
3 eggs
1 cup milk
1 Tbsp. vanilla bean paste, or 2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 /2 cup brown sugar or maple syrup
1 cup dried cherries
1 cup almonds
butter or non-stick spray for the baking dish
Place oats into a large bowl and pour on enough water to just cover them. Stir in the buttermilk or yogurt and add a dash of sea salt. Let sit overnight (8 hours to 12 hours is fine).
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place oats in a colander and and push out any excess water. Transfer oats to a large bowl.
Butter a small square (9×9-inch) or rectangular baking dish, like one you would use for brownies. Beat together the milk, eggs and vanilla and brown sugar or maple syrup. Sprinkle the chia seeds and cinnamon into the drained oats. Add dried fruit and nuts then stir in the milk/egg mixture.
Pour into the baking dish and cook for 30 to 45 minutes or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Pour warmed maple syrup and a dollop of freshly whipped cream and tuck in.
February 16th, 2011
Happy Lunar New Year! February 3rd is the start of the Year of the Rabbit. There is plenty of time to plan a celebration as the festivities go on for a week in China!
Kimchi Crepes
Duck Pancakes
Here are some ideas from my Tiger celebration last year. Most items turned out as planned but some really stand out and will be repeated. Both the green beans and broccoli are stellar recipes and are good anytime. The Kimchi crepes (first picture above) came as a last minute inspiration and they were delicious. Below is the recipe for the duck pancakes (pictured second).
I "cheated" and purchased assorted dim sum but I made some yummy spare ribs too.
The almond cookies (recipe soon) are now a family favorite and are so much better than the hard ones available at most Asian grocery stores. These recipes are super easy but do require a trip to a well stocked Asian grocery store for pantry items. Stay tuned for the rest of the recipes over the next several weeks.
Kimchi Crepes – an inspiration from David Chang, Chef at MomoFuku and the Milk Bar (to name just two) in New York (recipe soon).
Broccoli and Peanut Salad & Sesame Green Beans(previously featured as a Meatless Monday post)
EZPZ Peanut Noodles – Made with Sisters Pantry Peanut Sauce and fresh Chinese noodles
Sticky Spare Ribs – stay tuned
Nian Gao (this time I made it vegan and it was even better)
Almond Cookies – these are good anytime, especially with tea.
Vegan Mango Jelly
The duck pancake recipe came from a caterer I used to work for in San Francisco named Betty Zlatchin. I have always loved them as an hors d’oeuvres.
Duck Pancakes
This makes enough to feed at least 30 people as an hors d’oeuvres. The key to this recipe is a tea smoked Chinese Duck. These are available at Chinese butchers, some Chinese restaurants or if you have a Chinatown near you, they are plentiful.
1 Chinese Duck, from Chinatown, cut into long pieces, skin removed
(Use the carcass to make duck stock!)
1 package Menlo Lumpia wrappers (available in the freezer section of Asian grocery stores)
1 jar Hoisin Suace
1 bunch scallions, sliced thinly lengthwise
1 bunch cilantro, several sprigs cleaned
Place a lumpia skin on a kitchen work surface and have all your other ingredients around and ready. Brush some of the hoisin sauce on the lumpia then scatter some scallions and cilantro over the top. Place some nice meaty pieces towards the bottom end of the wrapper.
Now roll the wrapper up with the longest side facing you. Make sure they a not too loose. Place on a cookie sheet and continue making the remaining rolls. These can be done a day ahead. Wrap them well in plastic wrap trying not to get them stuck together as when you try to pull them a part they will tear.
Once you are ready to cook, place on a parchment-lined cookie sheet. Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees. Slice the rolls on the diagonal into 1 1/2-inch wide pieces. Place on the cookie sheet and bake for 10 minutes.
Enjoy! Gung Hay Fat Choy.
February 3rd, 2011
Have the last few days inspired you to slow down a bit and sip some tea? We hope so. Not only do Barr and I love the flavor of tea, we love the tradition of tea and the versatility of tea. Be sure to scroll down for the recipes that would be perfect for holiday entertaining.
Cynthia and Lise’s book, Culinary Tea has given us some fabulous ideas. We have one book to give away for one lucky flavorista. Simply leave a comment to this post and we will enter your name in the drawing. We will close the contest one week from today. Cheerio!
Jasmine Tea-Cured Gravlax from Culinary Tea
Serves 16
We think that this gravlax would make for some pretty sensational party fare served on toast points with just a touch of creme fraiche. Pair with a nice, dry sparkling wine.
2/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup kosher salt
1 whole side of salmon (3-4 pounds) preferably with skin on
1/2 lemon
1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper, more to taste
1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
2 Tbsp. coarsely chopped fresh dill
1/2 cup loose-leaf jasmine green tea leaves
In a large bowl, combine the brown sugar and salt. Spread a large piece of plastic wrap on a work surface. Take ½ of the sugar-salt mixture and spread it on the plastic wrap to be roughly the size and shape of the salmon side.
Place the salmon on the sugar-salt mixture, skin-side down. Check that no bones remain in the salmon, squeeze the lemon over the skinless side, then spread the black pepper and garlic over evenly. Sprinkle on the dill and the tea. Spread the remaining 2/3 of the sugar-salt mixture over the tea leaves.
Bring the plastic wrap up around the salmon to enclose it very well. Place the wrapped fish in a large pan that can hold the fish lying flat. Place a 2nd pan on top so that it presses down on the fish. Place canned goods on the 2nd pan to weigh it down. Refrigerate.
Flip fish over every 12 hours. After 24 hours, unwrap the fish and check for doneness – it should be firm and translucent, similar to smoked salmon. Depending on the thickness of the fillet, it should take between 24 and 48 hours to cure. Wipe the sugar-salt mixture and seasonings away from the salmon.
To serve, cut cured salmon thinly on the diagonal. When you reach the skin, curve the knife upward and the fish will release easily. Leftover gravlax should be wrapped well in plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 10 days.
Orange Spice Tea-Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Mango Peach Salsa from Culinary Tea
Serves 4 – 6
We love that this pork can be served at room temperature of cold. It can be tough to procure fresh peaches in the winter, so substitute frozen peaches or just use two mangoes.
Pork
2 (1-lb.) pork tenderloins, cleaned of excess fat and silver skins
1/4 cup Eleven Spice Tea Rub (recipe below)
2 cups orange juice, more as needed
Salsa
1 fairly firm mango, peeled
1 fairly firm peach, peeled
1 medium red bell pepper
1 small red onion
1/2 to 1 small habanero pepper or 1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
zest and juice from 1/2 orange
1 Tbsp. rice wine vinegar
1/2 tsp. Eleven Spice Tea Rub (recipe below)
2 Tbsp. light brown sugar
1 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh cilantro, basil or parsley
fine sea salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper to taste
Prepare the pork: Rub the pork tenderloins with the tea rub; cover well and refrigerate overnight or up to 3 days.
To make the salsa: Dice the mango, peach, bell pepper, and onion into 1/4-inch dice and add to a medium bowl. Seed and cut away the membranes of the habanero and finely mince (it is a good idea to wear kitchen gloves when cutting this fiery chile). Add to the mango mixture.
Add the lime juice, orange zest, orange juice and the rice vinegar. Sprinkle in the tea rub, brown sugar and fresh herbs. Season salsa with salt and pepper. Stir well. Cover and chill until you are ready to serve.
When you are ready to cook the pork, preheat the oven to 375°F. Remove the pork from the refrigerator and place it in a small roasting pan. Pour the orange juice in the pan and ¼ of the way up the sides of the tenderloins; add more juice, if needed.
Roast the pork uncovered, basting frequently with the orange juice (2-3 times) until desired doneness (if you prefer pink, 150°F on an instant read thermometer). Depending on the size of the tenderloins, this may take as little as 18 minutes or as long as 30 minutes, so check frequently.
If serving hot, allow pork to rest 8-10 minutes before slicing on the bias to serve. If serving cold, chill the whole tenderloin until needed, then slice on the bias. Stir the salsa before serving, adjust seasonings, if necessary.
Eleven Spice Tea Rub from Culinary Tea
5 Tbsp. finely ground full-bodied black tea leaves (Chinese congou, Ceylon, and Niligiri)
1/4 cup light brown sugar
2 tsp.ground cinnamon
1 tsp. curry powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. ground red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tsp. ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. ground star anise or anise seed
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 tsp. ground fennel seeds
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. ground mace
Combine all of the ingredients in a medium bowl, mixing well until thoroughly combined. Store in a tightly sealed jar or tin at room temperature for up to 2 months.
December 6th, 2010
At the end of today’s post is one of my most favorite Meatless Monday meals. The recipe for Roasted Onion Risotto was originally published in the 2009 May/June issue of Hannaford fresh magazine. Written by Adam Ried, this recipe of golden onions, peppery arugula and tender rice is perfect for a cool, fall evening. The onions can be roasted ahead of time and refrigerated until needed for the risotto.
Now that we’ve got Meatless Monday covered, it is time for the overdue update:
Barr and I would like to thank you, our wonderful readers. We love sharing our kitchens, grocery carts and bar stools with you. Flavorista’s readership has grown steadily since its inception so please continue to share our posts via Facebook, E-mail and Twitter. We greatly appreciate it!
Flavorista is just over two years-old and it now contains 525 posts of mouth watering recipes, timely tips and tasty discoveries. Outside of this blog, Barr and I are busy with our families, clients and writing. Much of the work we do outside of Flavorista is done under non-disclosure contracts, but there are some cool projects that we can talk about.
Lollie’s Puking Pumpkin:
Summer strawberry jam prep:
In Boulder, Colorado, Barr has just completed a food bar project for Two Degrees. Click here to see a pic of Barr looking super-fabulous (as always) in her hair net. The other items on Barr’s "To Do" list are an energy bite for athletes, an ayurvedic beverage and an allergen-free snack for kiddos.
Mountain mama, Barr:
Here in Maine, my current kitchen focus is gluten-free. I am thrilled to be co-authoring a Gluten-Free Slow Cooker Book to be published by Sterling next fall. I continue to immensely enjoy my work as a regular contributor to fresh magazine. This past spring, I had the pleasure of researching signature dishes at popular restaurants for Taste of the Seacoast magazine (check out page 42).
Scenes from the coast with Maverick, the adventurer:
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"C’mom Mom, dinner can wait, we have rocks to climb!"
Dearest flavoristas, thanks again for your support! Keep checking back as Barr and I have all kinds of fabulousness planned as we head into 2011. 
Roasted Onion Risotto with Arugula and Chevre
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4 med. onions
4-5 cups vegetable broth
1 Tbsp. garlic olive oil
11/2 tsp. minced garlic
11/2 cups Arborio rice
3/4 cup dry white wine
1/4 tsp. sea salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese
4 cups baby arugula
Adjust oven rack to low position and preheat oven to 400 F. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with vegetable cooking spray.
Peel and finely chop 1 onion and set aside. Halve remaining 3 onions crosswise (do not peel), make two X marks near the tip of each onion half, and place cut side down on baking sheet. Roast until tender when pierced with a thin skewer or knife tip and dark brown on bottom, about 30 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes. Remove and discard skin and roughly chop onions.
In a small saucepan, heat broth to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce heat to very low and continue to simmer. Meanwhile, in a large pot heat oil over medium heat until hot, about 1 minute. Add reserved chopped raw onion and cook, stirring frequently, until onion is translucent, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring frequently, 1 minute. Add rice, stir to coat with onion mixture, and cook until edges of grains begin to turn translucent, about 2 minutes.
Add wine, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook, stirring frequently, until wine is absorbed, about 2 minutes. Add 1 cup warm broth and cook, stirring occasionally, until it has been absorbed, about 5 minutes. Add remaining broth 1 cup at a time and cook until it has been absorbed between each addition and rice appears moist, creamy, and cooked through, but still a little chewy, about 15 minutes total. Check it when you have 1 cup of broth remaining to determine if the last bit of broth is needed.
Add salt, pepper, and chopped roasted onions and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are heated through and rice is tender and appears somewhat drier but still saucy and creamy, about 4 minutes. Add cheese and arugula and cook, stirring occasionally, until arugula is wilted, about 1 minute.
November 8th, 2010
This stuffed cauliflower is really worth trying. It’s such a great play on textures and flavors. The stuffing alone is delicious as is the gingery tomato sauce. Get creative and use them as components in your other culinary creations.
This Meatless Monday meal was inspired by the wonderful spices available at Savory Spice.
Coconut Milk Powder is my new pantry staple. Instead of using 1 Tbsp. from a can, you can just reconstitute coconut milk powder in water. It’s a bit lighter and not as creamy which is a nice twist.
Mango Powder is used in India to makes things slightly sour. In this dressing, it plays nice with the creamy, sweetness of the avocado and the pungent onions (please stay tuned for the recipe).
Red lentils are a wonder. Click here for some of our red lentil recipes. They take no time to cook and served alongside the whole baked cauliflower, which you can partially prepare on Sunday and then bake on Monday, makes a lovely dinner.
For Tomato Sauce:
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 cup diced onion
2 teaspoons cumin seeds, toasted and ground
2 tablespoons freshly grated ginger
2 cups diced tomatoes (Muir Glenn Fire Roasted is really good here)
1 cup water
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons freshly chopped cilantro
Heat the oil in a non-reactive large saute pan and add the onions and cook until soft. Add the cumin and stir occasionally for 1 minute.
Now add the ginger and cook for another minute. Next pour in the tomatoes and the water and bring to a boil. Season with salt and pepper. Add cilantro, cover and turn off heat.
For Stuffed Cauliflower:
1 1/2 cups diced onion
1 1/2 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
6 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 Anaheim chilies, diced
1 1/2 tablespoon ground coriander seeds
2 tablespoons ground almonds or pistachios, plus more for garnishing
1 head of cauliflower
2 teaspoons yellow mustard seeds, or 1 tsp. yellow, 1 tsp. brown
Heat the oil in a large pan and add the onions. Once onions are soft, add the chilies and the garlic stir around and then add the ginger and coriander and mix well.
Now the almonds or pistachios and the mustard seeds can be added. Stir and cook for 5 minutes, Season with salt and pepper. Mixture should be rather crumbly in texture. Turn off heat and allow mixture to cool completely.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Gently stuff the mixture into the seams of the cooled cauliflower florets. Spread the remaining stuffing over the top.
Place cauliflower head into a shallow baking dish. If you have extra nuts, sprinkle them over the top and pour about 1 to 2 Tbsp. of extra vegetable oil over the top. Ladle some of the tomato sauce around the stuffed cauliflower and spoon a bit on top. Bake the cauliflower for 25 minutes.
To serve: Reheat the tomato sauce. Pour a little sauce on the bottom of a serving platter. Place cauliflower on top. Pour more sauce on top and garnish with freshly chopped cilantro and nuts. Cut into the cauliflower like a cake and serve with sauce on top.
October 11th, 2010
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